Informing the discussion around oil sands

March 4, 2015

Canada is full of valuable resources, from the oil sands to the copious quantities of sugar and cream in a Double Double. Fortunately, we’re also rich in intellectual resources that help make for better use of our natural resources.

February 27, 2015

We talk about hockey. We talk about celebrities. Why not talk about energy too? After all, energy powers our lives. How much energy we produce and consume determines how we live. Getting more people conversing about Canada’s energy systems and connections between energy, economy and theenvironment is the mandate of Let’s Talk Energy. It’s a national program that aims to enhance energy awareness and literacy among Canadians to contribute to a sustainable energy future. The week (February 23 through February 28) is Talk Energy Week and it’s a good a time as any to check out the interactive maps, educational resources, and games and videos available on the program’s website.

February 26, 2015

We believe the key to a better future is listening to and understanding the perspectives of others.

This week, we asked Tima Bansal, executive director, Network for Business Sustainability (NBS) and professor at the Richard Ivey School of Business at Western University, about sustainability in corporate Canada. We thank Tima for taking the time to answer our questions.

February 20, 2015

What’s more enlightening than Candy Crush or Zombie Farm? How about three new educational apps from NASA! Available on various mobile platforms, Earth Now, Images of Change and Offset use satellite data and imagery to provide you with an eye-opening view of climate change.

February 13, 2015

With the decline in oil prices over the last few months, many people, communities and industries have been impacted across Canada. And right in the thick of it is Fort McMurray. But it is not all doom and gloom. In a recent Globe and Mail article, Katharine McGowan, post-doctoral fellow at the Waterloo Institute for Social Innovation and Resilience, University of Waterloo, describes how Fort McMurray’s non-profit sector is coming together during these trying times, and how organizations like Social Prosperity Wood Buffalo are playing a leading role in creating a resilient community.

February 6, 2015

Mining is big business outside the oil sands region too, especially in British Columbia. Shining the light on roles women play in the industry, is the six part video series called Living the Mining Dream. The videos share the stories of six women working on mining projects in the province. The women discuss their career paths and how they’ve overcome challenges of working in an industry traditionally staffed by men. The series is available in six separate videos or one full length option.

January 30, 2015

In 2011, Suncor came across something a little less expected at its oil sands mining operations – a dinosaur! Thanks to the sharp eye of one of our employees, Suncor made history with this amazing find. Watch as Discovery’s Daily Planet explores what it took to extract the dinosaur fossil from Suncor’s Millennium Mine and what this rare find unveils about Alberta’s pre-historic times.

Oil Sands Question and Response (OSQAR) is a blog created by Suncor Energy to support constructive dialogue about the oil sands. In our weekly posts, we talk about the energy industry, environmental impact, tailings management and reclamation, water management and the social and economic implications of oil sands development.

Our oil sands operations are near Fort McMurray, Alberta, where we recover bitumen from oil sands through mining and in situ operations. The bitumen from both operations is then upgraded to refinery-ready feedstock and diesel fuel. More about the where and the what of the oil sands can be found on our oil sands resource page.